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THE HERALD 18 May 2009
3 poachers shot dead
From
George Maponga in Masvingo
Three
suspected poachers, who were part of a five-man gang allegedly intending to
kill rhinos at Malilangwe Trust Conservancy in Chiredzi, were last weekend
shot dead by a joint team of police and game rangers following a prolonged
exchange of gunfire.
After the
shootout, inside the conservancy, one of the five suspects escaped while the
other one was apprehended while holed up in their getaway Toyota Hilux
parked along the Chiredzi-Tanganda highway.
A police
team and game rangers ambushed the poachers at Chipangadzi Bridge inside
Malilangwe following a tip-off.
Masvingo
police spokesman Inspector Phibion Nyambo said the names of the three were
being withheld until their next of kin had been notified.
"Three
suspected poachers, all of them from Gweru, were shot dead following an
encounter with our officers who were on patrol together with game rangers
from Malilangwe.
"We
managed to arrest one of the suspects and also impounded the Toyota Hilux
which they wanted to use as a getaway car.
"However,
one of the suspects managed to flee and we are looking for him. We managed
to recover two rifles, — a .303 and a .306 — which the suspects were using.
"We also
recovered 58 live rounds of ammunition and some spent cartridges," said Insp
Nyambo.
He said
the bodies of the poachers were taken to Chiredzi District Hospital for
post-mortem.
It is
believed that the poachers arrived at Malilangwe Trust Conservancy aboard a
Toyota Hilux with the intention of killing rhinos and dehorning them.
Police,
acting on a tip-off, teamed up with game rangers and ambushed the suspects
inside the conservancy.
They
encountered the poachers at Chipangadzi Bridge and ordered them to
surrender.
But the
suspects started firing at the police and game rangers prompting a prolonged
gunfight that resulted in the death of the three.
Insp
Nyambo said police were increasingly worried by the rampant poaching of
rhinos in the Lowveld.
Last year
poachers killed about 13 rhinos in the Lowveld.
Only
recently, another suspected poacher, Starford Machirori, was shot dead by
game rangers while poaching rhinos at Kyle Recreational Park.
Zimbabwe
is up for discussion at next year’s Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species meeting over the increased poaching of rhinos, which are
classified as endangered species.
Zimbabwe
has lost about 70 rhinos over the past 12 months to poaching, according to
Parks’ official statistics. |